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It’s Time to Start Calling Evangelicals What They Are: The American Taliban

It’s Time to Start Calling Evangelicals What They Are: The American Taliban

02-28-2017, 08:59 AM

Evangelicals need to take a long hard look in the mirror because as we get deeper into dictator Trumps presidency I am seeing this type of stuff take the form of new legislation as the case in Indiana with Pence.

"Evangelicals are advocating a religious extremism that is no different from muslim extremism, which projects religious authority over all people in their domain, which limits the rights of women, controls and limits education, and enforces strict adherence to a moral code, which naturally rejects and punishes all forms of “decadence,” including; “deviant sexuality,” science, reason, and any questioning of authority. Christian fundamentalists, if given the power, will do the same things."

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The emperor marched in the procession under the beautiful canopy, and all who saw him in the street and out of the windows exclaimed: Indeed, the emperor's new suit is incomparable! What a long train he has! How well it fits him! Nobody wished to let others know he saw nothing, for then he would have been unfit for his office or too stupid. Never an emperor's clothes were more admired.

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I don't think it's quite fair to use a term that denotes as much as 'taliban.' 'Evangelical Christians' is a big, diverse group, and very few, if any, would advocate for harsh ('cruel and unusual') legal punishments against blasphemers, etc. Some seek to enable individuals to carry out such punishments and to train their kids in prideful ignorance and intolerance, but this doesn't amount to a taliban. Methinks this kind of name calling muddies the waters and sets us up to divide further from our neighbors and vice versa. Let us critique evangelical fundamentalism, but let us bear in mind the differences between it (and the amount of power it can actually obtain) vs the Afghani taliban.

Funny story though: My dad, the Republican atheist NRA fan I'm always talking about (cuz he taught me American gov't before school ever did), well he told me a few years back that, 'if Republicans keep going the way they're going, we could see a real life American taliban.' During the primaries this year, he told me he liked Ted Cruz and Ben Carson cuz they were well educated. I don't think he keeps up with the news near as much as we do. Just one Republican. But still funny to see how easily politicians can appear different to different people.

Comment

George Washington was the man who never told a lie. Richard Nixon was the man who never told the truth. Donald Trump is the man who doesn't know the difference.
Venezuela is what happens when you have Trump without the Madison.

Comment

Evangelicals need to take a long hard look in the mirror because as we get deeper into dictator Trumps presidency I am seeing this type of stuff take the form of new legislation as the case in Indiana with Pence.

"Evangelicals are advocating a religious extremism that is no different from muslim extremism, which projects religious authority over all people in their domain, which limits the rights of women, controls and limits education, and enforces strict adherence to a moral code, which naturally rejects and punishes all forms of “decadence,” including; “deviant sexuality,” science, reason, and any questioning of authority. Christian fundamentalists, if given the power, will do the same things."

Interesting. I guess the only time you'll see a guy on the left imply anything critical about Islam is in a desperate attempt to hang its sins onto Christianity.

But no, celebrating new marriage with insufficient enthusiasm, maintaining gender specific restrooms, and observing *gasp* a moral code is a little different from the Taliban. This kind of obtuse rhetoric has to be, at least in part, responsible for the "dictator Trump" presidency.

While she's talking, I'll use my mind to think of other things. She can't stop my mind!

I don't think it's quite fair to use a term that denotes as much as 'taliban.' 'Evangelical Christians' is a big, diverse group, and very few, if any, would advocate for harsh ('cruel and unusual') legal punishments against blasphemers, etc. Some seek to enable individuals to carry out such punishments and to train their kids in prideful ignorance and intolerance, but this doesn't amount to a taliban. Methinks this kind of name calling muddies the waters and sets us up to divide further from our neighbors and vice versa. Let us critique evangelical fundamentalism, but let us bear in mind the differences between it (and the amount of power it can actually obtain) vs the Afghani taliban.

Funny story though: My dad, the Republican atheist NRA fan I'm always talking about (cuz he taught me American gov't before school ever did), well he told me a few years back that, 'if Republicans keep going the way they're going, we could see a real life American taliban.' During the primaries this year, he told me he liked Ted Cruz and Ben Carson cuz they were well educated. I don't think he keeps up with the news near as much as we do. Just one Republican. But still funny to see how easily politicians can appear different to different people.

I'm pretty lib and I think Ted Cruz is very intelligent, well thought out, expresses himself superbly and conducts himself with decency. Unfortunately, he's also nuts. His Dad is even nuttier.
Ben Carson is Ben Carson: Smart, successful, and pretty much a moron.
Religion sucks the potential out of some people.

On the other hand, without it some people wouldn't be worth a damn because they don't seem to have an innate moral compass of their own.
It's hit and miss. Overall, I think religion is good as long as there is a majority of us who are sane enough to tell them when they are becoming drunk on their power, because that's when things get dangerous for those of us at the sharp end of their stick. We are flirting with that now. You see the affects of it in the increase in hate crimes. Trump doesn't seem to mind all that much.

George Washington was the man who never told a lie. Richard Nixon was the man who never told the truth. Donald Trump is the man who doesn't know the difference.
Venezuela is what happens when you have Trump without the Madison.

1 like

Comment

It is precisely because Ted Cruz expresses himself superbly that I know I definitely would never want him in the White House.
He has made it abundantly clear what kind of president he would be.
The scary kind.
We have one of those right now.

Interesting. I guess the only time you'll see a guy on the left imply anything critical about Islam is in a desperate attempt to hang its sins onto Christianity.

But no, celebrating new marriage with insufficient enthusiasm, maintaining gender specific restrooms, and observing *gasp* a moral code is a little different from the Taliban. This kind of obtuse rhetoric has to be, at least in part, responsible for the "dictator Trump" presidency.

Your not looking deep enough. Also certain people have no trouble lumping all Muslims as dangerous to America.

Comment

I'm pretty lib and I think Ted Cruz is very intelligent, well thought out, expresses himself superbly and conducts himself with decency. Unfortunately, he's also nuts. His Dad is even nuttier.
Ben Carson is Ben Carson: Smart, successful, and pretty much a moron.
Religion sucks the potential out of some people.

On the other hand, without it some people wouldn't be worth a damn because they don't seem to have an innate moral compass of their own.
It's hit and miss. Overall, I think religion is good as long as there is a majority of us who are sane enough to tell them when they are becoming drunk on their power, because that's when things get dangerous for those of us at the sharp end of their stick. We are flirting with that now. You see the affects of it in the increase in hate crimes. Trump doesn't seem to mind all that much.

Some of these people use religion because it's an incredibly powerful weapon.

😉

1 like

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When people use Hitler to describe Trump, or evangelicals to the Taliban, they really have no idea just how bad Hitler was or Taliban is. They show me by this exaggeration, their intolerance to others. This special kind of labeling and grouping of people is the first step used for eliminating them. It is hate and intolerance at it's finest.

Kinda ironic when you think about what Hitler did to get the ball rolling with the Jews.

Christian's when given the chance, will run the ball in for the touch down, Trump and Pence are clearing the field for them to score.They will be in a position to decide who eats, who starves, who can earn a living, who can't earn a live, who get medical care, who doesn't and ultimately, who lives and who dies. Remember folks America was built with a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other. And according to the KKK, Evangelist and Baptists, their god gave them the Invaluable God Given Right to do so
....
Their religious freedoms will endanger all freedoms .... Can we welcome the new Dark Ages?

When people use Hitler to describe Trump, or evangelicals to the Taliban, they really have no idea just how bad Hitler was or Taliban is.

Truth.

That being said, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the Evangelicals - as a political movement, not necessarily as individuals - exhibit alarming theocratic tendencies that would not be out of place in a Taliban world view.

Keep the company of those who seek the truth, and run from those who have found it.

-- Vaclav Havel

The Universe is unimaginably vast. For small creatures such as we the vastness is bearable only through love.

-- Carl Sagan

Life - the way it really is - is a battle not between Bad and Good but between Bad and Worse.

-- Joseph Brodsky

3 likes

Comment

I don't think it's quite fair to use a term that denotes as much as 'taliban.' 'Evangelical Christians' is a big, diverse group, and very few, if any, would advocate for harsh ('cruel and unusual') legal punishments against blasphemers, etc. Some seek to enable individuals to carry out such punishments and to train their kids in prideful ignorance and intolerance, but this doesn't amount to a taliban. Methinks this kind of name calling muddies the waters and sets us up to divide further from our neighbors and vice versa. Let us critique evangelical fundamentalism, but let us bear in mind the differences between it (and the amount of power it can actually obtain) vs the Afghani taliban.

When people use Hitler to describe Trump, or evangelicals to the Taliban, they really have no idea just how bad Hitler was or Taliban is. They show me by this exaggeration, their intolerance to others.

And This too.

**********

"Look at it this way: think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of 'em are stupider than that."

- George Carlin

"It shouldn't be expected that people are necessarily doing what they appear to be doing on records."

- Sir George Martin, All You Need Is Ears

"The music business will be revitalized by musicians, not the labels or Live Nation. When the musicians decide to put music first, instead of money, the public will flock to the fruits and the scene will be healthy again."

Comment

That being said, it would not be unreasonable to suggest that the Evangelicals - as a political movement, not necessarily as individuals - exhibit alarming theocratic tendencies that would not be out of place in a Taliban world view.

They both want the whole world to come to their faith they have in the God of the Bible or in the allah god. Both choose to obey either Jesus' or Mohammad's commands. However, Jesus never said to do it by force, or to murder others who do not submit. Jesus said to showing love and kindness to others and speak the truth to others about God. This has nothing to do with what the Taliban is doing to achieve their goals. Nothing at all.

Comment

Then explain the Genocide of over 100 million plus Native that were killed in God's name to establish Eurocentric Nations in North, Central and South America .
It'll take Islam at least400 + years, to match the numbers European Christian's inflicted on the original American People's.

Some of these people use religion because it's an incredibly powerful weapon.

Absolutely true. Religion has been used as a means to try to control people for thousands of years... but OTOH, that doesn't mean that everyone who believes in or teaches about religion is attempting to use it as a means of controlling others.

**********

"Look at it this way: think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of 'em are stupider than that."

- George Carlin

"It shouldn't be expected that people are necessarily doing what they appear to be doing on records."

- Sir George Martin, All You Need Is Ears

"The music business will be revitalized by musicians, not the labels or Live Nation. When the musicians decide to put music first, instead of money, the public will flock to the fruits and the scene will be healthy again."